The good, the bad, and the ugly. Nothing here was ugly. Beautiful dining room. Legendary chef. Expectation were high. Unfortunately, like many four star establishments these days it seems to be a trend among other like Haute cuisine restaurants to wow their guests with exotic combinations of fine ingredients that look pretty on a plate. Here, the cuisine was lost and unidentifiable, save for a few staple sauces. The result was confusing combinations that didn't work. All I can say is disappointment awaits those expecting an elevated French cuisine experience. I know he has it in him. His enviable resume speaks for itself. However, it appeared that he followed the trends instead of leading. A word of advice: get back to basics. Be true to the cuisine and above all...flavor profiles first, presentation to follow. It doesn't have to be fancy. I would be happy to return one day and pay anything they wish if that happens. I'm hopeful that it will. Until then, These days a one start still outperforms most over hyped four star disappointments. read more

I was here the same week Notre Dame burned down. So, this was indeed a memorable trip. The word unbelievable comes to mind to describe my meal. It was one of the nicest meals I've had. The food was extraordinary and it just kept coming. There were tons of little bites and various pallet cleansers between dishes. Each little bite looked like it would have taken a tremendous amount of work and time to prepare. Meanwhile, there were probably 7-8 staff members at any given time serving our table. You'd think the staff were trained by ninja's. Never once did the staff make us feel like they were hovering or overbearing. Yet, if my drink was getting low, I'd turn around to discover it was once again full, like magic. Empty dishes? They'd disappear before you got a chance to look at them a second time. Truly a fabulous experience and meal! I wish I could tell you specifically what I liked the most but I honestly cannot remember, only that there wasn't a single disappointing dish or morsel of food. read more

Expectations were set high for our dining experience at Pierre Gagnaire. The cool, elegant ambiance of Gagnaire's restaurant seemed to preview an afternoon of dining excellence for which we were well prepared to enjoy. From your entrance to your desert, this Michelin Three-Star restaurant serves up interesting food, attention to detail, and impeccable service. Pierre Gagnaire is located in business/finance district at the Hotel Balzac. The ambiance is traditional, classic, elegant and nuanced. During our lunch, we were seated at a table on the second level of the single-story restaurant. This was nice, as we were able to observe the main dining area throughout our entire meal. I reccomend asking for this area for seating. The table was beautifully set, down to the napkins, each uniquely embroidered. The flatware and dishes were all stylish and nuanced. I found myself noticing the intricacies of each item throughout the meal. Other guests seemed to be business colleagues and a few couples, all 40 and up. This was not a young crowd. As expected, we interacted with the sommelier, maitre'd, and manager at some point during the meal and I really do feel they attended us with great care and class. There were several types of bread offered. Nothing I would prefer over the offerings at my local boulangerie, but the butter served with the bread was creamy, fresh, and unique. We chose to order the pre-fixe lunch option in order to try the kitchens best for the day. The amuse bouche certainly was amusing for our pallets but not what I would call delicious, in fact, 2/6 of them had a strong fishy taste that was not pleasing. We tried: -Various breadsticks and butters. Presentation was colorful and amusing. -The grapefruit, beetroot "salad. This was bright and citrusy. -The mussle with Spanish chorizo. This was too fishy and very salty -A Tuna Sushi- delicious -A fois gras enveloped in a decadent coating. The presentation was cute but flavor was not great. We paired our starters with an exceptional Laurent Perrier sparkling rosé served at the perfect chilled temperature. Our main plate arrived, a tender lamb filet mignon Medalion wrapped in pesto and Philo dough, served with a spinach puree, fall roasted vegetables and squid in accent. This plate was dark and decadent in appearance. In addition, we were served a side of lamb fillet diced with potatoes and onions, sort of a "Mirepoix" but with Lamb instead of carrot. This mixture was sauteed in butter and dressed in squid ink. I must admit the entire selection was too salty for my taste. I found the lamb medallion to be cooked perfectly and the presentation to be phenomenal. I do not find the squid ink side was necessary or added value to the course in any way. the color was entirely black and unappealing and eating this was very messy as you may imagine. (I appreciate the staff for relieving our embarrassment when the ink was splattered on our crisp white table cloths by bringing additional linens to cover them up. ) finally, our desserts was delicious. The selections were not described to us. This was fine because we were able to play the game of guessing what each thing was. In the petit four collection I tasted: -Pickled Ginger -Pomegranate-Lemon -Green Apple -Cranberry-White Chocolate Afterward, we were brought my favorite item which was a coffee icecream with bruléd sugar anise syrup and prune. This dish was both interesting and delicious which was impressive and excited considering some of the other items had been either-or. Overall, the experience was memorable and interesting in a wonderful way. I found the food to be complex, sophisticated, and artistic, but at times a bit ostentatious. Sometimes simpler is better. In the end, the plethora of options in the 90€ pre fixe lunch, delicious wine (knowledgable sommelier), and impeccable service made up for any distasteful bites I encountered during our meal. I was not in love with the cuisine but I still recommend Pierre Gagnaire for anyone looking for an interesting and pleasant Michelin dining experience. read more

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We celebrated my parents' anniversary here with a private lunch in 2015 and it was far and away the best meal of my life to date. Dozens of courses, each very small and beautifully prepared and presented with combinations of flavors and textures I've never experienced or considered before. Service is impeccable. This menu is only a fraction of what the chef served us. Cocktail de poche: Skate bouclee rubbed in hibiscus jelly; smoked legine fish and seaweeds flavored with an aged soja sauce. Redcurrant sorbey, fresh palm tree heart and soft aprcot; rice water. Cuttlefish and green apple with fresh corriander, lemon paste. Green crab bisque; white polenta, beef marrow, grated Mimolette cheese. Fresh anchovy; split beans puree, green pepper and chorizo Liver Mousseline, cream of salt cod flavored with parsley chlorophyl; calico artichokes and flat beans. Thin slices of fat duck, ratte potatoes from Noirmoutier; sweet onion syrup flavored with carob molasses. read more

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Summary: One of the best meals I've had in my life. Maybe only to be topped by A5-12 Kobe in Tokyo! Pierre Gagnaire also came by to say hi to us while we dined. Nice guy! Anyways, the food tasted amazing. So delicate yet so different. Gagnaire is into fusion but respecting the past. So while you dine, the food sparks curiosity, familiarity, and delight. On one hand you recognize a little bit of what you are eating, then on another hand, it looks far out. But reguardless how each bite looked like, you're always exciting to eat. I think that is the best way to sum things up as pictures somehow won't do things justice. Gastronomy at its finest needs to be experienced, not viewed. Anyways, I enjoyed my multicourse lunch prix fixe. The main course was fish with squid. It's a little sweet, savory and tart. The squid was done to perfection with a lil pop when you bite into it without any hints of rubberiness. Service was top notch. read more

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Food was fine - some very good and some not. The worst part of the meal (which was on our engagement) was being clearly discriminated against. They sat us in the very back of the restaurant next to the door to the kitchen and bathroom in a cramped space despite there being plenty of open seating throughout the restaurant (which remained open the entire time we were there). I don't know if it is because we are American or because one of us is Asian, but this left a very poor impression in my mind of this place and the people who run it. read more

We came to Paris to attend the French Open. We booked 3 Michelin stars restaurants ahead of time. Pierre Gagnaire was the first that we visited. We were their first patrons to arrive and were seated at, in my opinion the best table of the restaurant. It was elevated and has the view of the entire sitting area. We each ordered an appetizer set, it came with all the garnishes. My girlfriend ordered a meat entree and I ordered a seafood entree. Should we know the portion of the appetizer, we could have split an appetizer sets. They were very generous with their portion. We were thoroughly satisfied. Food are very tasty and there isn't a dish that we wouldn't like. Sommelier was very knowledgeable and his recommendation were spot on. We even visited their 4,000 bottles wine cellar. Service was exceptional. Waiters were very attentive. Well, a couple of them spoke with a heavy French accent and was a little difficult to understand. All in all, we had a fantastic experience! Will definitely visit again in the future. read more

There were certainly many exceptional dishes as you'll see in the account below: -Infusion de navet daïkon au vin jaune du Jura, écrevisses pattes rouges, oxalis et feuilles de capucine - Crawfish(boiled), daikon radish, white wine, oxalis, nasturtium leaves.  Dazzling contrast  of flavors (sweet/sour/salty) that is technically hard to get this right even at this level. 10/10 -Carré d'agneau de l'Aveyron frotté d'origan - the lamb from Aveyron is known for its quality, and this Carré d'agneau did justice to its reputation. Excellent on all fronts: taste, texture, seasoning. A flawless Carré d'agneau. 9/10 -Papillons Noirs, datte medjoul, kinjiso - pasta made of black pudding was shaped as butterflies and was served with a mixture similar to chilli paste but without the distracting piquancy. Date palm was added to the dish. This, for my taste,  was sensational (complex middle eastern flavors,  the date palm  blending excitingly well with the  aforementioned chilli paste-alike mixture). It takes a Chef with an incredible palate to create  dishes of this sort.   10/10 -Selle en crépine, carpaccio de betterave rouge, betterave blanche au Roquefort. - The exceptional  lamb from Aveyron made a second appearance. It was paired with a carpaccio of  superlative beets. 10/10 -Crumble vert, ails roses sablés, chorizo, cébette - sauteed cabbage, garlic, chorizo was a classic dish but not of  the tired sort,- extremely flavorful. Another exciting dish. 9/10 -Soufflé à la vanille de Tahiti, crème glacée - Finished my meal with a benchmark vanilla soufflé which depth of flavor can only come from eggs and milk of exceptional quality. 10/10 Indeed, a Top-tier French 3 star Michelin anywhere across the globe, with, a service to match. read more

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I was there alone for lunch. Wow, this restaurant serve an amazing food and amazing service. All servers are very professional and tried to make me comfortable. I've never had such a wonderful meal before. I lost my word. I would definitely come back here my next trip to Paris. read more

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All of my life I have heard the term "fine French cuisine", but never really knew the true meaning until our lunch at Pierre Gagnaire. Many of the dishes were served in small portions - meant to eat in a single bite, (at least that is what my wife and I did). The taste sensation in each individual bite was outstanding - something I have never experienced before! I am amazed at the flavor combination ingredients like oyster, grapefruit gel, calico artichoke, grinder turnip leaves, anchovy and eggplant can make when combine and presented correctly. I don't care for many of those items individually, but served together with talented imagination - what an amazing experience. We also enjoyed more familiar foods like chicken served with various various sauces and sides, as well as some incredible bread. This was one of the best meals I have ever had and highly recommend to any of you who have the time, money, and opportunity to reserve a table at this fine restaurant - DO IT! read more

From the formal, but personable instructions of which bite to eat when to the 10-course dessert tasting following our tasting menu, I was smitten with Pierre Gagnaire. The frog legs were warm, buttery and wonderfully satisfying. The fish and shellfish were impossibly fresh, and the sauces (oh, the sauces!) rivaled the most decadent desserts in richness. Three of the desserts -- yes, three from this restaurant and single meal alone -- were among my favorite desserts I've ever eaten. From the petit fours tasting to the dessert we dubbed the raspberry fondant fruit rollup and the chocolate hazelnut plate, I was literally laughing I was so happy. Needless to say, when Chef Pierre Gagnaire himself came into the dining room and started making his way around to tables to say hello, I nearly fell out of my chair. As he got to our table, I started thinking about what I would say, how I would compliment the exquisite meal...and I decided nothing would be sufficient, but the bigger my smile, the better. He matched my smile and seemed to appreciate the sentiment I attempted to express. What a guy. He's just so cool! This was a truly incredible meal. I highly recommend the experience of enjoying the tasting menu. It's worth the price and the all night commitment. read more

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I've read that Pierre Gagnaire can be on and he can be off when it comes to cooking. Well when I went he was off. If he was on, then he sucks. Jk. He was just okay. The food didn't blow me away, but it wasn't so un-palatable, that I couldn't finish my meal. Definitely not as good as Ledoyen. Although, Pierre Gagnaire was more creative with his dishes. Pierre Gagnaire presented us with a lot more plates, but I can't say I enjoyed more than half the plates. read more

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Amazing experience, the staff treated us well. Pierre Gagnaire also greeted the table which was pleasant. People tend to dress up in a suit, but they don't have a formal dress code. As a traveler it can be hard to carry a suit for this one occasion and they understand. The restaurant is an experience. Very unique flavors and combinations I've never tried before. For a group of 4 we paid about $735 USD and did not leave hungry. When I'm back in Paris, I'll definitley come back. read more

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I really enjoyed eating here because Chef Pierre Gagnaire's incredibly creative and whimsical personality was at center stage. Really basic things likes the choice of superb Normandy salted butter really impressed me. Chef Gagnaire individually greeted his clients and took photos with us. Reservations were made via email, but like L'Arpege, one needs to call to confirm, and reconfirm two days prior. I also had to email and sign a reservation form. read more

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This was one of our many Michelin restaurants we tried on our trip to Paris and sadly this was the least favorite and it was the one I picked! =( Came here for lunch. Overall decor was very beautiful and modern. I actually think the decor was the best thing about this place. It's not a huge space, probably 10 tables or less. We all got the prix fix and some got it with the wine pairing. The food here is very beautiful too like it's surroundings and creative. They say you eat first with the eyes, well it still has to satisfy the palate and nothing tasted that great to me. I kept thinking, OK interesting, not bad, just a big fat AVERAGE. For the price I want a more wowed dining expereince and I did not get that here. My taste buds were left wanting for more. read more

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I am sorry to learn of your restaurant ranking down to the 16th this year... http://www.theworlds50best.com/awards/1-50-winners/pierre-gagnaire Meanwhile, you have others and my cheers~! Thank you for maintaining excellent quality and services! read more

Great 3 Michelin star experience. The food was creative and most of it exceptional with a couple of of misses but the originality more than made up for it. Chef Pierre happened to be there and stopped by the table to thank us as well which was awesome. Service could have been more on point, but I'm starting to notice that as a theme at the fancy Michelin spots in Europe. It wasn't bad, but just could've been a touch more attentive. Absolutely recommend trying this spot if you are able to get in. read more

Food in Paris is generally pretty good - even the tourist trap crepe places are suprior to 98.62% of the creperies in the U.S. We had high expectations going into Pierre Gagnaire and PG definitely delivered. I can of course write a super long review given it was a 3+ hour dinner experience - but many other talented yelpers have already written a thorough description of many dishes, so let me just share with you some of the memorable aspects of the experience Menus - it is very cute that the men got menu with prices on them and the ladies just got the menu... While I am all about gender equality, there are moments in life when I am more tickled by the tradition and this is one such moment - especially appropriate as I am on a weekend gateaway/date with the hubby Presentation - while not all the dishes are memorable - the presentations of each dish was impeccable. I think there's beautifully presented food that's appetizing but PG took it up a notch and created edible art. The carefully selected plates/dishes made each item so visually appealing. And you can tell the care and thought that it went into each dish Service - I had expected the snobby French services but it turned out everyone was friendly but not in a cheesy kind of way. It was just overall very pleasant. Desserts - everything else was delicious but it was the 3 course dessert that really made the mark for me. The petite bites combining different flavors - from coffee to different kinds of fruits to more traditional chocolate truffles... yums! So - was it expensive? Yes - the most expensive meal I have ever had in my entire life... was it worth it? Yes - and I would do it in a heart beat again next time I am in Paris read more

I would like to write a full review, but it'd be too long. supposed to be one the best, most inventive meals type of places, but I didn't find the flavors that awe inspiring for the price. too delicate and subtle for me overall. dishware were cool and the artisan bread was amazing. basically, fancy level dining at this price is only available in NYC. the lunch menu is 105E but once you start ordering appetizer and entrees, it easily goes over 250E. the lunch menu was: *pan sauteed petit gris snails with black olives de Nyons, slow-simmered rhubarb and Guernica peppers, grenailles potatoes soup with szechuan pepper *poached cod steak, shallots cream a la Nantaise, stems of green peppers and leeks, young hake jelly cooked as an aioli, albacore tuna, braised heart of lettuce, and shredded cauliflower also tried an app and entree Each dish is a series of many dishes: Spring Flavors *Summer white truffle artichokes and parmesan dumplings *cabbage beef heart to flower pollen (probably butchering the translation) *Royal duck foie gras with Banyuls, tomato juice with fresh almonds *Shortcake broad beans, peas, carrots and turnips *tops seasoned with a juice of cider chives thai *water red Campari (beet and onion petals), in knots of pigeon something followed by: Lobster and Spider Crab *langoustines sienna, zucchini, julienne crisp snap *toast chips Iberian *smaller macerated something daikon *Bavarian spider crab seaweed *fresh watermelon with pink peppercorns ok now that i certainly didn't translate everything properly, I'll cover the amuse, which were pretty visually and tasty *salpicon cake and celery browned almond shells *puffed bread stuffed with a mousseline of broccoli young nettle garden *variation of Mediterranean sardines *timbale of mushrooms in miso *creamy burrata, mortadella and shredded red orache so I only really, really enjoyed a few things, and have discovered that this dining is probably not for me. read more

This was my first time eating at a 3*michelin restaurant and it surpassed my expectations. It was a truly "gastronomic" experience... amuse bouche followed by amuse bouche followed by appetizer followed by amuse bouche followed by entree followed by amuse bouche followed by dessert.... to die for. Each plate was focused around a single ingrédient and then interpreted several ways. I had the lobster for my appetizer then the beef for my entree. Every bite was delicate, delicious, well thought out and complex. I was full to the brink of explosion by the end but I didn't regret a single bite. I would agree with the previous reviewer that the wait staff did seem a little "green" considering the talent behind the kitchen. I was with only english speakers who had difficulty communicating with the waiters, however they did have some bilingual staff who helped explain when I couldn't translate. They were very kind and the fact that communication was sometimes difficult did not affect our meal one bit. read more

We went for the 115 euro lunch menu. It was a bargain for what we got. The 50 euro glasses of champagne were not, I would skip them next time. It was supposedly 5 courses, but each course had multiple dishes and some courses had more than one round. I won't get into everything, but my favorite was a combination of sea bream and mushrooms. read more

Wow! Amazing experience. I hope you are hungry because they serve you so much food! Everything is beautiful and creative and the staff is incredible! There were at least six courses and within those six courses sometimes 2 and sometimes 10 bites or dishes. It was spectacular. It will not be inexpensive... but, I guarantee you it will be a grand experience. The restaurant is beautiful with comfortable swivel chairs for some and velvet for others. We had a tour of the kitchen and unfortunately Chef G was not present - but, we did get to meet the 2nd Chef and the rest of the cooking staff. We enjoyed the wine and especially all of the dishes. One highlight was the Normandy butter- unlike any I have tried before. 5 stars!!! read more

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Supposed to be one of the best restaurants in Paris. Had to see if the food was worth the hype. Left not so impressed. I had made a reservation a month in advance, received confirmation of my reservation, spoke to a woman at the restaurant by phone when I got into Paris to confirm my reservation as requested only to find out that she cancelled my reservation because she didn't understand English very well. Luckily, which I thought at that moment, they had a table available and so we were seated. Don't get me wrong, the chef is really well known and is supposed to be innovative as far as gastronomy in the culinary world and we had eaten at Taillevent the night before so our expectations were really high since this was the MUST GO restaurant at that time. Unfortunately for us, we felt like he was trying to do too much with the courses that were served. The ingredients that were used didn't really blend in a manner that we had expected. Many of the dishes were salty and had lost the true essence of the ingredient featured in the dish. The worst part of the meal were the servers that we had at our table. A couple of early 20 somethings that hadn't had much experience were our servers for the night. When they would bring out each course, they were unable to fully describe and explain the dish. And when they would come to take away our dishes one of the servers would just stop and stare at my friend every time and just listen to our conversation. It really made her uneasy and aided in ruining our dining experience. I guess since we got the leftover table, we got stuck with the leftover staff. When I'm paying over $1000 for a dinner for two with only one glass of champagne each, I expect much more than what we got. At this rate I would prefer to eat at Taillevent twice for the same price. Oh wait we did do that. read more

Food was imaginative, but not necessarily delicious. The presentation is amazing and beautiful, and you get so much food as well, but I don't think that this restaurant blew me away. What did blow me away is that chef Gagnaire was walking around the restaurant and was extremely friendly and eager to meet his guests. I took a tour of the kitchen and he was gracious enough to take plenty of pictures with me. Such a sweet man! read more

Restaurant Pierre Gagnaire - French Near Me - Paris, 75

We are unabashed Pierre Gagnaire "Groupies". Simply stated, returning to this Michelin Three Star palace of culinary conquests always is a pleasure. We have even greater expectations, if possible, as we are being treated to Pierre's Chef's Table. Allez, Allez AMBIENCE location: Hotel Balzac exudes old world charm and is located very near the Seine. Parfait! character and atmosphere: Classic. style and comfort: THE definition, Frog (French) style. table and glassware: Outstanding. Sketch and now Pierre using Zalto. Good bye Riedel? other guests: Non-existent in the kitchen where we are sitting. The diners we notice as we are escorted into the kitchen are well-dressed, relatively older and casually sitting on the edge of their seats in anticipation of what will be an unquestionably exceptional event. SERVICE reception: We arrived early, as we often do, and we were offered an espresso, which we enjoyed in the glass-ceiling lounge bar of the hotel. floor staff (knowledge and presentation of food, attention to details and awareness of guests): Classical and perfect. Front line staff of any restaurant could pick up top tips from a few days at this venue of excellence. sommelier, maitre'd, chef, manager: Top shelf. He turned us onto a Puligny-Montrachet. Patrick is the sommelier for 14 years. He can stay . Thierry is THE Chef. He, equally, can stay. Chef's Table allows us to see "poetry in motion". We can hear the famous song playing in our minds as the staff interact with each other like water flowing in a stream....flawless. Wow!!! FOOD bread: Only Robuchon is "better"...and only slightly. Seaweed bread grand. Citrus butter a meal. ingredients: Excellent. presentation: Perfect. Staff provide first rate explanations of each dish, which is not easy when one considers Pierre's eclectic efforts to create an awe-inspiring visual. creativity: Pierre. His middle name, if not given and family names, is "creativity". 'Nuff said. taste: Pierre. 'Nuff said. smell: Pierre. 'Nuff said. execution: Pierre. 'Nuff said. Amuse bouche Oh My Yummy God ("OMYG"). What is next!? Mullet and tuna, Pierre style. We did not know we loved artichokes until this exceptional dish... read more

this was an _experience_. I have to give it a mere three after all my eating all over france and getting more of a flavor for the ingredients of France. If it was half the price, I'd give it 4 stars but even with the level of service, they missed a dirty spoon as it was placed on my setting for dessert. then when I asked for another one (without stating why since I thought it might be embarassing), the waiter says "you dropped it?" and so i had to say "it's not so clean" with a smile. Then he blushed a bit and said under his breath, "oh, so sorry" When you go to the bathroom, they lead you there. For someone my age, it's a bit much every time I gotta go. I don't have Alzheimier's, just a small bladder! :P And perhaps it wasn't their fault, but they offered to call us a cab (apparently customary here for some restaurants to do this). When we got it, the cab fare was already 12 euro. We were suspicious and asked the lobby at our hotel. They said that 12 is high but when a restaurant calls a cab, the meter runs as soon as the cab is summoned over. A restaurant of this caliber should at least have a reliable cab company to call. or summon one nearby! the remainder of the fare of 4 euro got us home. clearly it's the principle I am talking about. Anyway that was shady. read more

Love Chef Gagnaire! Very sweet man who loves to meet his clients. Atmosphere is refined and minimal. The TT shape logo represents table for your meal. How cute! The food is complicated and presented in highly artistic way hence the nickname Picasso of culinary world. I would say most of the time it is not for the 'taste' but the medley of the ingredients he proposes to mix. It is not simple in your face delicious but lingers in your memory. But they do make the best two dishes I have ever tried and I have eaten all over Europe and U.S., which are Truffle risotto and soufflé !!! read more

Full review in blog - to date the best dining experience of my life. #1) "Green Asparagus de Pertuis with thin round slices of squill fish, square of burrata cheese and cucumber seasoned with lemon mousseline sauce / Black olive infusion with old balsamic vinegar, melted sorrel and dominos of Gruyere cheese from Garde / Cardamom velvety soup with asparagus granite" was served as a troika, all unique, all excellent. This presentation was invariably the most complex of the evening and as we were instructed to "taste each separately and then explore the combinations" that is exactly what we did, each bite a new experience - at times hot and other times chilled, sometimes intense and sometimes a fleeting tone on the palate. As the ingredient list for this and all subsequent dishes was quite thorough I will simply note that while each plate was impressive on its own, the manner in which the mildly acidic olive dish acted to refresh the palate each time I came back to it was astonishing. Serving as the starting point it was this dish that served notice of what Gagnaire would serve us that night - shocking subtlety and superior ingredients in a delicate balance. #2) "Grilled thinly sliced sole with broad beans and leek stems, celery and green pepper. Miso liebig and a veil of squid flavored with ink" was another stunner, but this time all on one plate. With snappy vegetables juxtaposed against melting leeks and savory condensed miso the most impressive aspects of this dish were the fish and the cephalopod - the first perhaps half an inch thick topped with crispy skin and the second as thin as a handkerchief, briny, and delicate as pasta. During 95% of other meals this would have been the best course of the night - at Pierre Gagnaire that evening it was perhaps the third. #3) Titled "Fresh Morel mushrooms flavored with licorice laid on a bed of vegetables and aromatic herbs. Iced turnip and craterellus mushrooms" there were no tricks in this dish - just flawlessly prepared vegetables, a complex stock, and the very essence of the spring embedded in the earthy morel/mushroom amalgam...an essence that dissipated almost immediately on swallowing as the perfume of licorice, not detectable on the tongue, perfumed the palate. #4) Thin slices of black grouper seared in brown nut butter, oysters, and capucine leaves with small Palamos King Prawns flavored with amontillado" and on the other "Salt cod 'brandade' in a bisque with grated green apple en amertume." With the dish heavy in protein and having already seen Chef's careful hand with acid, sweet, and savory this course would focus more on the use of bitter - a technique largely ignored in American cooking. Starting first by layering textures - meaty grouper, creamy oysters, and snappy shrimp it was the bitter drew the lines, working in a manner I'd never expected to add focus - the extra dry amontillado making the shrimp seem sweeter, the peppery nasturtium showing off the smoky tones of the grouper, and the nearly crab-apple tart crisp punctuating the briny cod potage. #5) "Dog cockles, clams, and razor clams with chanterelles, spinach and parmesan cheese gnocchi in foie gras soup flavored with maniguette" would be a flash back to the morels - light manipulation of unique ingredients in unique combinations. With the briny mussels at the forefront and the piquant undertone of foie gras laying the backdrop it was the gnocchi that lent levity - vegetal pillows proving ample foil to the otherwise savory tones. #6) "Thinly sliced duckling des Dombes roasted as a whole, medlar, spring onions, carrots seasoned with cumin; unctuous juice flavored with vintage port" I can only summarize the experience with the comment my dining partner made to Chef Gagnaire at the end of the meal: "Monsieur, I'd rather eat your duck than have sex with the prettiest girl in the world." Rosy and pink, impossibly lean, charcuterie thin, and advantaged in all ways by the sweet port and medlar - it was the best duck I've ever had - so good that the vegetables became extraneous - so good that we joked with the server that there was not enough...and the server and chef were so good that a second round was served on the house. #7) "Sorbet of pear, Roquefort cheese, eau-de-vie, segment of Williams Pear with ewe's yogurt / Shavings of Ossau-Iraty cheese, rougette salad, cordifole and green lentils du Puy / Soft apricot stuffed with goat's cheese de Ginestarie" I will not purport to be a cheese expert - especially considering the man I was dining with - but I will simply say all were good, particularly the sorbet selection. #8) A succession of two courses, the first four plates and the second two the flavors and textures were too myriad to count, but amongst the five larger servings the first three to arrive were Fraises des Bois, yogurt, curry / Garden Strawberries, Red Pepper and Saffron / Apple with Tonka Bean and Pollen Cracker. .....it just kept going. read more

it has been about a month since the hubby and i dined at pierre gagnaire, but the image is still vivid and fresh. a little creature moving towards me...instinctively lifting my legs...whispering "omg. what the heck is that?!"...closing my eyes in disbelief... it was a f*cking MOUSE!!! we saw a little mouse appearing from a corner and marching towards our table with its tail wiggling. we had just finished the amuse bouche, and were waiting for the first course to be brought out, with champagne glasses in our hands. i know some people think mice are cute and all that (sorry, disneyland is not reality), but i for one hate those rodents. then i saw a pair of eyes observing the scene. they belonged to one of the head waiters who by then chased after the mouse, and they both disappeared into the kitchen. dumbfounded, i expected him to come over and apologize in person. when the first course was served to us, i quietly brought up the issue to our waitress whose response was even more bizarre and slightly condescending. "yes, i heard that you saw a mouse, but do not be worried, madame. our kitchen is very clean. i invited you, madame, and monsieur to check out the kitchen, if you must. this happens all the time in paris. the city is old, and mouse live in old cities. americans don't get that. parisians don't make a big deal about mouse. we see them all the time. madame, americans like you don't know how old our city is..." are you kidding me??? the hubby and i looked at each other in amazement. we should've gotten up and left the restaurant after hearing this bullsh*t, but i admit that i was a bit intimidated. perhaps i didn't want to look like an unsophisticated american who didn't understand the greatness of mice filled, old paris. i convinced the hubby to stay and finish the degustation menu since he had gone through a lot of hurdles to make a reservation in the first place, and we weren't sure when we will come back to paris again. the rest of the night was just as eventful in a very positive way. anyone who is remotely interested in culinary universe knows who pierre gagnaire is, and therefore, illustrating wonders created by the master would be the same as reiterating how beautiful (now dirty and old, thanks to the waitress!) paris is. although not every dish we had that night suited us (there were some ingredients we didn't particularly appreciate), a few were BEST things that ever touched our mouths, without a doubt. * grilled sole with beans, leek, celery and green pepper in miso broth flavored with squid ink - orgasmic! words cannot describe this dish. * thinly sliced, roasted duckling with medlar, spring onions, carrots seasoned with cumin, in vintage port reduction juice - the rare baby duck was phenomenal. never has au jus like this in my life. * les desserts - endless sorbet, cookies, candies. some of them are so small and cute you'd wonder how they even made them with adult hands. one disappoint was the substitute they provided for the cheese course. we decided to forgo 3 differnet cheese plates to appease our troubled stomachs and let the kitchen bring us a lighter course before the desserts. what they gave us was a romaine salad that was no different than costco's $4 chicken caesar salad sans the protein. we laughed at it for lack of imagination, quality and value. service was great throughout the night. the staff were very mindful of surroundings whether a celebratory event or an intimate affair, and paced everything in timely manner. they were not overly friendly, yet were genuinely happy to attend to whatever the guests' needs were. the restaurant is quite classy, organic and understated. like the food, nothing is out of balance, creating very harmonious mood packed with subtle punches and a bit of asian influence. 264 euros per person for the 8 course degustation menu, including tax and gratuity for an unforgettable experience. a mouse, an insincere apology and 38 euros per glass of krug champagne...sorry, mr. gagnaire, this american cannot give full 5 stars no matter how fantastic your food was. read more

Like others, this was also my first time eating at a 3* michelin restaurant but I came out feeling quite disappointed. For a Thursday night, the service was appropriate, with waitstaff helping the two of us order appropriately from the menu. But the atmosphere was overly stuffy and pretentious. The two of us were slightly underdressed, and the constant attention by the waitstaff at the beginning (when we were the only ones in the restaurant) made the atmosphere feel very stuffy. What made the evening even more disappointing was the food. For some reason it didn't hit our palates the right way. Yes, I could see the care taken in creating these dishes (and marvel at the complicated techniques) but the wow factor only hit me in 1 course. The others were interesting and unique, but the flavor profile didn't inspire us to go back. Seeing that our main meal was lacking, we decided to try to end the evening on a happy note by choosing from their dessert menu. What saved the day was a 40 Euro pistachio souffle. Chez TJ (back in the States) was a much more memorable experience....along with other non-Michelin rated restaurants in Paris. read more

Fantastic! A great meal (in every way) in a world class restaurant. Plus, the wine list was surprisingly affordable (although the totel price tag was world class a s well). read more

I'm sorry but I have to give Pierre Gagnaire a bad review. This restaurant seems to be on its last legs. While the service was very good and the ambiance of the restaurant quite good, the food unfortunately did not live up to expectations. We took the 5 course tasting menu at $450 each. This high end restaurant provided a lot of show but not a lot of flavor. Perhaps it's the French palate and I am an American, but I found the food bland and unappealing. We've eaten at many fine dining restaurants including The French Laundry, Chez Panisse, Quince in San Francisco, I found this food feel subpar for a high end restaurant. From talking with the wait staff, Pierre Gagnaire has expanded his restaurant empire and may be he spread too thin and can't maintain the quality of food at the Paris location. read more

I was sadly disappointed in this meal. I might be too spoiled from my experiences in Napa (French Laundry) but I found a lot of the flavor combinations here to be confusing and unappetizing. A lot of the food was presented as a work of art. But the flavor was not there. Lots of use of gelatin which is never really a pleasant texture to eat. Dishes started out colorful and pretty and halfway into it turned a muddy brown. The staff was so formal that they came off unfriendly and it made the atmosphere uncomfortable. The decor, plates, linen's were gorgeous. But in the end the food did not leave a positive impression. read more

This was our first dinner and it did not disappoint. Had the tasting menu and every dish was inventive, well executed, and remarkable. Service was impeccable. Truly one of the best restaurants in Paris read more

Ate last night with my family at Pierre Gagnaire & it was one of the most incredible dining experience I've had. First, the waitstaff: From each waiter, to the head waiter to the Matir'd, all impeccable. Service was flawless. Our glass of champagne, wine or water were constantly being attended too, never had to wait for them to be refilled. Our head waiter was most helpful. Right away he brought us our menu in English & then proceeded to tell us how to order. He suggested we only order the main entree because there would be many amuse bouche & appetizers before hand and was he ever right! Also, Chef Pierre came out to greet us and when I told our waiter that I didn't really get to talk to him because I didn't speak French, he had Chef Pierre come out again & speak to us in English and then they took us to the kitchen to see the sous chef and chefs in action. Before we even started our actual entree. We had several amuse bouche & what I could only call a petite dinner of appetizers, which was amazing! Then the actual dinner came out and everything was prepared to perfection. I had the chicken & prawns, my daughters had the duck & my husband the veal. My chicken breast was filled with foie gras which I am not a huge fan of but the chicken itself tasted like Thanksgiving dinner. The prawns had a Caribbean flavor to them and were served on a separate plate & were light and delicate. Also had a side of spelt which is a whole grain and it was very tasty. There was also a side serving of cold gelatin with chicken in it that I didn't care for. A serving of three different types of bread were served with the meal as well. After, consuming all of that food. Our desserts started to arrive and again before actually receiving the souffle we ordered we were presented with a display of several petite, amazingly delicious assortment of sugar heaven. By the time our dessert arrived we were stuffed, yet couldn't resist in consuming at least some of the beautiful presentation displayed in front of us. I had the chocolate souffle, which was filled with a chocolate ganache & then topped with a delicate pistachio ice cream. Along side the souffle you receive a chocolate syrup with golden raisins & a goblet of coffee gelatin bits with a praline & chocolate cookie sitting on top of it all. All in all, this gastronomic experience was amazing and I know our family would definitely return here but only for a special occasion,, like being in Paris. :-) The cost of this meal is steep but worth trying at least once in your lifetime or once while you're here in Paris. read more

We enjoyed an unparalleled dining experience! The food was crazy delicious. The inventiveness and presentation was mind blowing. Getting to meet the chef was so exciting. This meal was truly a once in a lifetime experience!! read more

One of my least favorite dinning experiences in Paris. Beautiful restaurant. Incredible service. The food was too complex for me and it was too much of an 'experience' for me. I liked it when the chef, Mon. Gagnaire came to our table. That was almost as amusing as the prices... read more

One of the best meals of my life and it was only lunch. I don't want ot spoil anything, so I will just say the food was delightful and delicious, the service was absolutely perfect and I would recommend this to anyone and everyone. Lunch, at least, is reasonably priced, so if you can't swing the price of dinner definitely do lunch and you will feel like every penny was worth it. Next time I am in Paris I will go for dinner. We went to Guy Savoy and it did not hold a candle to this. It was truly magical and while the food was GREAT, I also though the sommelier was the best one I have ever encountered. He ended up giving me what is now my favorite wine of all time, something I seek out for special occasions. Great all around. read more

Stayed in the Hotel Balzac during a recent Paris trip, and booked dinner at Pierre Gagnaire as a special treat. Beautiful decor greeted us and we anticipated our Michelin feted food. The food was artfully presented with an array of related tastes and textures spread around your main dish. While beautiful, the food was overwrought and the tastes were far less impressive than the presentation. Paris is filled with beautiful art, Pierre Gagnaire should concentrate his efforts more in creating great tastes rather than merely relying on creating food as "art". Fortunately, Paris is also filled with many, many other world class restaurants where the preparation and ultimately, the taste, is the priority. read more

Went here for lunch back in September. The service was flawless and not overbearing. The food was delicious and extremely intriguing. Other than the Duck course, I found many of the menu items to be extremely challenging. I say challenging in a good way in that I did not understand completely the dish that was before my eyes. I would say that my palate was exposed to more new flavors and sensations in this single two hour dining experience than what I usually encounter in a six month period. I dont know if I will ever go back but I found the dining experience to be thrilling to say the least. read more